English Reference

Phrasal verb

end up with

Definition

phrasal verb. to have or get something at the end of a process, often when you did not plan for it.

phrasal verb. to eventually reach a state of possession or a final result after a series of events; often implies an unintended or accidental outcome.

Examples

“I went shopping for shoes but ended up with a new hat.”

“If you don't follow the recipe exactly, you might end up with a very dry cake.”

“After months of legal negotiations and several failed compromises, the company ended up with a much smaller share of the market than they had originally anticipated.”

Examples

simple

“I went shopping for shoes but ended up with a new hat.”

contextual

“If you don't follow the recipe exactly, you might end up with a very dry cake.”

complex

“After months of legal negotiations and several failed compromises, the company ended up with a much smaller share of the market than they had originally anticipated.”

Usage

usually followed by a noun phrase representing the final result or possession.

Teaching tip

contrast with 'end up' + gerund (e.g., 'end up paying'); 'end up with' specifically focuses on the final object or person one is left with.

Pitfall

We ended up with go to the park.

We ended up going to the park.

use 'end up with' for things (nouns) and 'end up' + -ing for actions (verbs).

Phrasal verb

Particles

up with

Separability

inseparable

Pattern

end + up + with + object

Synonyms

getacquirefinish withwind up with

Antonyms

start withbegin with

Grammar

This entry

Level
B1 · Intermediate
Updated

Scan code

englishreference.com/q/end-up-with

English Reference